Arius festinus Ng & Sparks, 2003

Family:  Ariidae (Sea catfishes), subfamily: Ariinae
Max. size:  15.14 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  Africa: Madagascar (Ref. 56505).
Diagnosis:  Vertebrae: 53-53. Body moderately compressed (Ref. 56505). Vomerine teeth in a single pair of ovoid patches (Ref. 56505). Short pelvic fins, 15.2-15.6 % of SL, that do not reach the anal-fin origin when adpressed (Ref. 56505). Dorsal surface of head and body uniform gray to grayish brown, upper third of head and body darkest, gradually fading to lighter color along middle third of head and body; lower third and ventral surfaces of head and body dirty white (Ref. 56505). Adipose fin gray, dorsal fin rays gray, fin rays of all other fins with scattered gray melanophores (Ref. 56505).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered (CR); Date assessed: 26 May 2016 (B2ab(iii)) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  traumatogenic


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